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More employers are looking to the L&D function to enable competitive advantage, but that requires practitioners to develop their skills
The CIPD 2015 L&D Research Report highlighted the ‘Evolution of roles’ in L&D, with some insightful observations:
- “A key shift is a move away from learning delivery to performance consultancy”
- “In future L&D roles will be even more multifaceted, necessitating a blend of skills and capabilities”
- “70% of L&D professionals agree with the statement ‘our L&D role is shifting from that of learning delivery to consultancy’
- “Business and commercial awareness is perceived to be the number one factor contributing to the success of an L&D professional”
What’s behind this significant shift?
It is increasingly clear that, faced with continuous volatility and change on every front, many employers are realising that the ability to learn faster than the competition is now the key differentiator of organisational success. Becoming a ‘learning organisation’ is a strategic objective.
For many L&D functions, whether centralised or distributed across the business, this paradigm shift is proving to be transformational. Traditionally, their operating model has been largely reactive – the meeting of tactical training needs as they are ‘lobbed over the fence’ by the business. In that 
model, the L&D practitioner can get by pretty well with traditional training design and/or delivery skills.
However, the new order of things requires L&D to play a more pro-active and strategic role. To do this effectively will require an increased focus on professionalising the function’s approach, policies and practice. While many are already on board with this shift, it should be a red flag to any Head of L&D or training manager who is not presently responding to this wind of change and moving their function forward with the skills development needed to raise its game.
Image by Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
What will this mean for the individual practitioner? A career in L&D has never offered so many stimulating and rewarding opportunities, however it is no longer enough to simply rely on an initial training Certification and neglect continuous personal development of skills and knowledge.
In order to build a successful career in today’s ever more challenging L&D environment, practitioners must ensure that their expertise and practice befit a genuine Professional.
Taking the key message from the CIPD Report at face value, the practitioner faces both an opportunity and a threat - develop the consultancy skills to match the business needs or risk becoming obsolete and prey to restructure or outsourcing.
Significantly, The Training Foundation is seeing a sharp increase in delegates to the 3-day TAP L&D Consultancy skills course. HR Grapevine readers new to TAP may enrol on this course at a 50% discount.
